Recall on the Kawasaki

[Bheezy27403_imp]

The advantage of a shaft drive is the ease in which it drains your wallet when it breaks.

[PAULIBIKER_imp]

Would take a shaft instead of a chain everyday and twice on Sunday.

NO noise, NO cleaning, NO lubing, NO adjusting, and NO replacing. Unless it's a BMW, it will NEVER break.

Honda design the Nighthawk S with a longer then normal shaft. Handled great with very little or no "jacking".

[GoldOxide_imp]

Would take a shaft instead of a chain everyday and twice on Sunday.

NO noise, NO cleaning, NO lubing, NO adjusting, and NO replacing. Unless it's a BMW, it will NEVER break.

Honda design the Nighthawk S with a longer then normal shaft. Handled great with very little or no "jacking".

I had the 750 Nighthawk S and I didn't notice the shaft at all. I have had four shaft-driven bikes (two Honda, two Yamaha) and I only changed the oil in each once. Only on the Virago 1100 was the shaft noticeable with all the torque that could surge though it.

Ok...this thread has drifted a bit and far be it for me to straighten it out... so at the risk of sounding naive, aside from the maintenance issue, what is the advantage of a shaft-drive?

There isn't one.

I'm not aware of any early '80's CB750's with shaft. The DOHC CB750F, CB750K, CB750C and CB750SC models were all chain, as were the later CB750 Nighthawk models.

There isn't one.

I'm not aware of any early '80's CB750's with shaft. The DOHC CB750F, CB750K, CB750C and CB750SC models were all chain, as were the later CB750 Nighthawk models.
Hey LR - In '83/'84 the Nighthawk line switched to shaft, except the 450.

[Riko_imp]

Would take a shaft instead of a chain everyday and twice on Sunday.

NO noise, NO cleaning, NO lubing, NO adjusting, and NO replacing. Unless it's a BMW, it will NEVER break.

Honda design the Nighthawk S with a longer then normal shaft. Handled great with very little or no "jacking".

Not.
https://www.crosstourer.com/index.php?topic=3107.0



There were reports of failing breaking shaft drives on the VFR bikes, forcing Honda to bulk up the initial design.
I used to find pictures of the old shaft next to the updated model, the difference was striking.

The recall that followed should have fixed the issues, but I havent followed the topic ever since I chose to buy a Multistrada instead of a Crosstourer/VFR1200X.
Chain driven

[PAULIBIKER_imp]

Would take a shaft instead of a chain everyday and twice on Sunday.

NO noise, NO cleaning, NO lubing, NO adjusting, and NO replacing. Unless it's a BMW, it will NEVER break.

Honda design the Nighthawk S with a longer then normal shaft. Handled great with very little or no "jacking".

Not.
https://www.crosstourer.com/index.php?topic=3107.0



There were reports of failing breaking shaft drives on the VFR bikes, forcing Honda to bulk up the initial design.
I used to find pictures of the old shaft next to the updated model, the difference was striking.

The recall that followed should have fixed the issues, but I havent followed the topic ever since I chose to buy a Multistrada instead of a Crosstourer/VFR1200X.
Chain driven

Not.
https://www.crosstourer.com/index.php?topic=3107.0



There were reports of failing breaking shaft drives on the VFR bikes, forcing Honda to bulk up the initial design.
I used to find pictures of the old shaft next to the updated model, the difference was striking.

The recall that followed should have fixed the issues, but I havent followed the topic ever since I chose to buy a Multistrada instead of a Crosstourer/VFR1200X.
Chain driven
It's the single sided swingarm, that's the problem with BMW's also.

In 40 years I have never heard of a shaft issue on a Honda with a conventional swingarm.

Have had multiple Vmax's with no issues. The guys on the Vmax forum do crazy things (blowers, turbos, 1500cc kits. etc.) to their bikes and run them hard. No issues.

[dbarkdoll_imp]

Would take a shaft instead of a chain everyday and twice on Sunday.

NO noise, NO cleaning, NO lubing, NO adjusting, and NO replacing. Unless it's a BMW, it will NEVER break.

Honda design the Nighthawk S with a longer then normal shaft. Handled great with very little or no "jacking".

Not.
https://www.crosstourer.com/index.php?topic=3107.0



There were reports of failing breaking shaft drives on the VFR bikes, forcing Honda to bulk up the initial design.
I used to find pictures of the old shaft next to the updated model, the difference was striking.

The recall that followed should have fixed the issues, but I havent followed the topic ever since I chose to buy a Multistrada instead of a Crosstourer/VFR1200X.
Chain driven

Not.
https://www.crosstourer.com/index.php?topic=3107.0



There were reports of failing breaking shaft drives on the VFR bikes, forcing Honda to bulk up the initial design.
I used to find pictures of the old shaft next to the updated model, the difference was striking.

The recall that followed should have fixed the issues, but I havent followed the topic ever since I chose to buy a Multistrada instead of a Crosstourer/VFR1200X.
Chain driven
It's the single sided swingarm, that's the problem with BMW's also.

In 40 years I have never heard of a shaft issue on a Honda with a conventional swingarm.

Have had multiple Vmax's with no issues. The guys on the Vmax forum do crazy things (blowers, turbos, 1500cc kits. etc.) to their bikes and run them hard. No issues.

Emphasis on crazy.

[the Ferret]

109,900 miles on my ST shaft when I sold the bike. Only thing it used was 5.2 oz of 80-90 wt oil couple times a year and grease the splines when replacing the rear tire with an ounce or two of grease. Typical on the ST forum where some guys have 3 times that mileage on their ST's without shaft drive issues.

My original chain and sprockets on my CB lasted 36,909 miles. Which really isn't bad.

Still a chain is the correct drive system for the CB.

And a shaft is the proper drive system on an FJR, or BMW R1200RT, or a Kaw Concours IMO.

[GoldOxide_imp]

I put 80W90 gear oil in my shaft rides once each. This oil is probably overkill for m/c's, but I never changed it afterwards. Never had a shaft issue.

109,900 miles on my ST shaft when I sold the bike. Only thing it used was 5.2 oz of 80-90 wt oil couple times a year and grease the splines when replacing the rear tire with an ounce or two of grease. Typical on the ST forum where some guys have 3 times that mileage on their ST's without shaft drive issues.

My original chain and sprockets on my CB lasted 36,909 miles. Which really isn't bad.

Still a chain is the correct drive system for the CB.

And a shaft is the proper drive system on an FJR, or BMW R1200RT, or a Kaw Concours IMO.

A German or Italian shaft on the CB would definitely not appear right. The less sophisticated Japanese shafts (the older style ones) would be a rebirth of the CB with shaft.